Brake hanger retainer



M. S. JOHNSON BRAKE HANGER RETAINERS F iled May 6, 1944 'INVENTOR. I l zzlcomlfL/o/ifwwl BY Patented Apr; 17, 1945" Q OFFICE r 2,373,895, I, ,y

1 r I BRAKE HAN E -RETAIN R Malcolm s. Johnson, Chicago; 111., assi nbrftc Illinois Railway Equipmentcompany, Chicago,

1 11., acorporation of Illinois, z I

Applic'ationMay 6, 1944 ,S eiial No."' 5t 4,'467" standard type of brake hanger, the whereof is'show'n at IU (which may be substan- My invention relates to means for retaining brake hangers, more especially, the upper ends of the standard link type "of brake hangers in the hanger brackets secured to the railroad car truck and at the same time relievethe hanger lbrackets (which generally are formed integral with the truck frame members) of wear result ing from the more or less constant vertical and lateral vibratory movements of the hangers.

The inventionhas for its object the'provision of hanger retaining means, consisting of a pair of complemental hanger receiving membersor blocks arranged in superposed relation, with the upper end of the brake hanger therebetween and adapted to effect interlocking relation with each other against vertical separation and against independent horizontal fmoveme'nt and hence eliminates undue wear of the bracket and ,of the usual retaining pin or .key'and prevents the latter Working loose in the hanger bracket.

Another object of the invention is'theprovision of retainer members that are interchangeable, which permits the combined retainer to be reversed or one section or member to be renewed Without the necessity of replacing the entire retainer.

A further object which provides proper lateral clearance at the sides of the hanger to permit sufficient tilting without increasing its vertical clearancato compensate for the lateral movements of the brake head, thereby eliminating the usual wear enof the invention is a retainer countered on the brake head resulting-from the crowding of the brake shoe by the wheel flange.

The foregoing enumerated objects and advantages, as well as other advantages inherent in the invention, will all be readily comprehended from the following detailed descriptionof the accompanying drawing wherein: I

Figure l is a side elevation of I the-hanger bracket provided with my improved retainer and the upper portion of the brake hanger; the truck frame being broken away. I a v v Figure 2 is a view'taken at right angles to Figure 1 and looking at the forward side of the bracket and my improved retainer. V

Figure 3 is a perspective viewofthe two retainer members in spaced relation one above the other, y a

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially 0n the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the hangerin normal position.

Figure 5 is a similar viewshowing the hanger tilted toward one side; while the tilt of the hanger toward the opposite side of the vertical median line is shown in dotted lines.

My improved retainer is'especially' intended for use with the continuous link or A. 'A. R.

upper "end tially circular cross section), and is adapted to pendently support the hanger in the open sided bracket] l secured to the truck side frame adjacent the wheel ends thereof. I

-he retainer consists of a pair of members or blocks l2, l2 identical in construction, adapted tovbe e'mployed in superposed relation, after the upperyend of the hanger ID has been placed therebetween, and combinedly of transverse and vertical dimensions to fit more or less'snugly into the socket formed between. the upper and the lower jaws and the partial rearwardly curved end walls [3 of the bracket H, as shown in Figure 1. The matchingorhanger receiving surfaces of each retainer member are provided with an arcuate' groove lfi extending longitudinally from ,end; to end to provide ,a substantially circular channel forthe end of the hanger lll when the members are in superposed relation, The grooves l l of eachmember intermediate the ends, are straight fora given distance beyond each side .of; the transverse median line of the member and then gradually increase in depth .and width toward both ends so as to provide a channel with flaring ends as shown more'clearly in Figures ,4 and 5, in order to provide sufficient freedom for the hangers and permit the brake beam to move laterally.

I ;With retainersas heretofore employed, having channels of equal cross sectional dimensions, the hangers failed to have sufficient freedom to accommodate for thelateral movement of the brake beam, As a result, the hangers were subjected toconsiderable strain and the retainers became worn at the ends of the hanger bearing. Furthermore, by reason of the lack. of freedom betweenljthe rigid hangersand their retaining members, which interfered with proper movement of the brake beam, .oonsi derable wear on the outside of the brake headresulted because the wheel flange crowded the shoe, due to the fact that the brake beam with the attached brake head and the shoe did nothave sufficient'freedom.

v My'improve'd retaineris designed to permit the brake beam to float with the wheels, thereby relieving the'hanger of lateral strains, eliminating I wear between the retainers and the brackets and.

preventing the retainer ,holdingpin or key, shown at l5,'in'"Figures 1 and 2, from working loose;

while at the same time providing the desired lateral movement of the hanger without permitting undesirable vertical movement-of the hanger.

,The 'matchingor channeled faces of the retainermembers, which are identical in construction, on the inner'sidesnamely the sides which extendinto' the rear of the pocket in the-bracket I I, are each provided with an upstanding lu l6, preferably: with anarcuate forward surface, and

with a socket H, which preferably also has an arcuate forward surface; while the ends of the re- I tainer beyond the lug and the socket are offset inwardly and provided with arcuate surfaces, as shown at 18, to seat against the arcuate side walls I 3 of the bracket, while the intermediate lug and socket containing portion of the inner or rear wall of the retainer enters the bracket pocket between the bracket walls l3 and holds the retainer against lengthwise movement.

The outer or forward side of each retainer" member l2, intermediate the ends, has a vertically disposed arcuate groove l9 which is adapted to register with holes in the upper and lower jaws of the bracket II, for the passage of the retainer holding pin or key 15, which locks the retainer against forward movement out of the. bracket pocket.

The forward side of each retainer member 12,

at the ends, is olTset inwardly and the offset portion at one end provided with an upstanding trunnion providing lug 20, one side whereof is flush with the end of the retainer and the rear wall made arcuate as shown at 2|; while the forward or outer side of the lug is provided with a socket 22 which is shown extending throughout the length of the lug 20.

The forward side of the retainer member I2, adjacent the other end, is provided with an upstanding boss 23, formed integral with the forward main wall or side of the retainer member with the rear wall of the boss 23 spaced forward of the inset or recessed end wall portion 24. The boss 23 is formed adjacent the flat matching surface of the retainer member and extends into the plane of the inner arcuate end of the socket 22, and is provided with a substantially semi-circular rear surface as shown at 25 adapted to match or register with the arcuate inner surface of the socket 22 of the complemental or companion retainer member when the two are placed in super posed relation. That is to say, after the brake hanger ID is placed in the groove H of the lower member I2, the upper member I 2 is then edgewisely rocked or swungon top of the lower member with the upper end of the hanger in the-channel. As is apparent, the top member facing downwardly will be reversed end-forend from the lower member so that the boss 23 of the upper member will be adjacent 'the socketed lug 20 f the lower member while boss 23 of the lower member will-be adjacent lug 21) of the upper' member, permitting the boss 23 of both members to enter the sockets of the lugs 20 when the top member is edgewisel-y rocked or tilted onto the lower member. As shown inFigure 2,when the bosses 23 are in their respective sockets, the'arcuagainst relative transverse and longitudinal shifting movement; the rear longitudinal sides of the members being held in seated relation by the rear walls of the bracket.

In order to permit the bosses 23 to enter the sockets 22 of lugs 20, the lugs extend sufiiciently above the main intermediate side walls of the retainer members to provide a socket side opening 26 for the passage of the boss connecting base portion 21 of each member, as shown in Figure 2.

As both members of the retainer are similar in construction it is apparent that, in the event the lower member (which receives the greatest wear) becomes worn, the retainer may be removed from the bracket and reversed on the hanger; or either member may be removed without renewing the entire retainer; and while the exemplification is believed to be the ibest embodiment of my invention, certain structural modifications may be possible without, however, departing from the-spirit of my invention as de- 1 lined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar members adapted to be superposed on each other and each provided with a hanger receiving groove extending from end to end and flared toward the ends, the members being provided with Vertically off-set complemental surfaces adapted to effect interlocking engagement whereby vertical movement between the members is prevented.

2. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar members adapted to be superposed oneach other and each provided with a hanger receiving groove extending from end to end and increasing diametrically toward the ends, each member being provided with a vertically disposed socket forming portion and with a vertically disposed boss portion the boss portion of one member being adapted to edgewisely enter the socket of the other member and "thereby efiect interlocking engagement against relative vertical movement between the members.

3. Brake hanger retainers "comprising 'a pair of similar members provided with brake hanger receiving grooves extending from end to end;

ate rear walls of the lugs '20 will engage the re-,

eliminates thepossibility of theholding-pin or'key working loose in the bracket. With the two retainer members positioned on each other as -described, the lugs 5 of the two members will register with the respective-sockets ll andthus lock the inner or rear sides of the retainer members each member at one longitudinal side having an upstanding lug provided with a vertically disposed socket open "at the sides and closed at the top, and an off-set boss adapted to enter the socket of the other member and thereby effect interlocking eng-agel'nent between the members against vertical movement between the members.

'4. -Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar vmembers provided with matching faces provided with brake hanger receiving grooves extending from end to end; each mern- Iber at'one longitudinal side having a boss portion and a socket portion adapted to receive the boss portion of the other member to prevent transverse and longitudinal movement between "the members, while the other longitudinal side of each member has an upstanding socket providing .portion'and ran-:ofi-set boss adapted to enter the socket of the :other member and thereby effect interlocking engagement between the I members against vertical :movement between the :grooves extending :from end to end; eachmember at one longitudinal side having complementa-l grooved face of the 111 surfaces adapted to effect inter-engaging rela tion with those of the other member to prevent transverse and longitudinal movement between the members, while the other longitudinal side of each member has an upstanding socket providing portion with an arcuate rear face and an off-set boss with an arcuate rear face whereby the members are guided into interlocking engagement with each other and relative vertical members. 1

'7. Brake hanger retainers, adapted to be inserted in the brake hanger brackets of a car truck, comprising a pair of similar members reduced at their ends and provided-with arcuate surfaces adapted to seat against the arcuate sidewalls of the bracket; said members having matching surhanger receiving grooves,

with a vertically disposedofi-set outwardly from the adja into interlocking engagementagainst relative vertical movement between the,

- above the grooved face adapted to seat in the vertical slot of the other member,

side at the upper end of said portion; the same longitudinalside of each member also havin a vertically disposed off-set boss portion extending of the member and whereby the two members are locked together against relative vertical movement.

longitudinal side,

10. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar members adapted to be arranged in superposed face-to-face relation and formed to provide a brake hanger receiving groove extending from end to end; each member at one adjacent one end, having a socket closed at its upper end and open at the longitudinal-side of the member, each member at the same longitudinal side, adjacent the other ,end, having anoff-set boss adapted to enterthe interlocking engagement socket of the other member and thereby effect between the members against vertical displacement.

11. Brake hanger retainers adapted to fit into the open sided socket of a brake hanger bracket comprising a pair of complemental members providedwith flat matching faces and adapted to be end and provided at its faces to permit the members to be superimposed f on each other, said matching surfaces having longitudinally disposed brake hanger receiving grooves increasing in 7 each member at one complemental surfaces for effecting interengaging relation between the two members against transverse and longitudinal movement, while the other longitudinal side of each member has a socketed upstanding lug and an offset upstanding boss, the lugs and bosses interlocking position.

8. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar members provided with hanger receiving grooves and adapted to be arranged in superimposed relation, both members on one of their longitudinal sides adjacent their upper contacting surfaces having a pair of similar vertically arranged complemental portions whereby the members are guided into groove registering position and said complemental portions are guided thereby locked against relative vertical and transverse movements; the longitudinal sides of both members, intermediate said complemental portions having vertically disposed locking pin receiving sockets.

9. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar elongatedmembers adapted to be arranged in superimposed relation, each member,

having a longitudinally extending hanger receiving groove, the major portion whereof extends substantially parallel with the brake hanger while the end portions of the groove are flared to permit the brake hanger to be tilted laterally; each member at one of its longitudinal sides having a vertically disposed portion extending above the her and provided with a slot in its outer face terminating beneath vertical diameter toward their ends;

longitudinal side having one end having an superposed on each other, each member having a hanger receiving groove extending from end to inner longitudinal side with a socket and an upstanding lug adapted to match the socket of the other member, the members at their outer longitudinal sides adjacent upstanding socket forming portion open toward the outer side and at the side adjacent the top a d an upstanding off-set boss adjacent the otherend, the contacting surfacesoisaid socket and of said boss being arcuate to adapt the members to be edgewisely moved into place to effect interlocking engagement between 5 the two members against vertical movement.

of the two members being formed to guide the members into lug-and-boss whereby the boss of into interlocking relation. andthe two members top arranged above 12. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of members adapted to be superposed on each other, each provided with a hanger receiving groove, the members at their outer longitudinal provided with similar off-set of a vertically-disposed and sides being each surfaces consisting closed top socket at one end boss at the other end matching saidsocket one member will effect interlocking engagement with the socketof the other member when said members are in superposed relation to prevent relative vertical movement between the members.

13. Brake hanger retainers comprising a pair of similar members adapted to be superposed on,

each other and each providedwith a hanger receiving groove extending from end to end, each member being provided with a socketed portion adjacent one end having an overhanging wall at the plane of the main body portion of the member so as to provide a socket open toward the outer longitudinal side of the member and open main body portion and with a vertically disposed boss portion at the other end terminating in a horizontal plane beneath that of said overhanging wall of said socket portion so as to fit into the socket of the other member beneath said over- I hanging wall to prevent vertical separation of the the top of said portion and opening through the members, the socketed portion ing adapted to edgewisely receive the boss. .portion' of the othermember and thereby effect interlocking engagement.

- MALCOLM S. JOHNSON.

and an upstanding laterally above the adjacent of one member be 

